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Sep 23, 2014

On the way home from my last photo tour toRockport, MAI
discovered a new location for Boston skyline photography. While driving home I noticed
a spot that may have potential and I instantly decided to get off the highway at
the next exit and to explore this photo
opportunity. Upon arrival at the potential area I got out of the car, walked
around and looked for any open views through tree line that would allow to photograph
some of Boston’s iconic landmarks. So glad I made that decision and scouted the
area as the view was somewhat unique as it shows the Tobin Bridge with the
Zakim Bridge, John Hancock Tower and Prudential Center. I have not come across a
Boston photo like this and continued and was pumped to make my way back as soon
as possible. That evening I went back to explore the twilight angle of the
vista. I composed the photo image so that the highway and Tobin Bridge lead
into theCity of Boston. My 70-200mm zoom lens with a 1.4 telezoom converter allowed
to comfortably zooming in for a more intimate skyline composition. The weather somewhat
cooperated and it was a beautiful sunset night. I picked a small aperture (f/16
or larger) to achieve long exposure setting of 20 plus seconds at ISO100 and
ISO200. These settings ensured that the incoming car traffic to Boston and rear
car lights were captured in red streaks while the outgoing Boston traffic and
headlights showed in white streaks in the photograph. One tricky part that
needed timing and tweaking of camera settings was the on ramp traffic onto the Tobin
Bridge. I envisioned a red traffic streak there as well and it took multiple
attempts to capture in this final picture. Funny part to the entire story:
although I thought I found a unique photo location, 10 minutes after I set up
another photographer showed up and he mentioned that he saw pictures of a
friend with that view. Apparently it is not as unique and exotic as I hoped but
I still love the location and I will be back on a clear night to incorporate the
twilight blues into the next Boston photography composition.

During post processing I followed my routine digital flow
and cleaned up dust spots, adjusted lighting, contrast and color saturation
before sharpening the final image of Amazing Boston.

Sep 17, 2014

Incorporate an interesting foreground feature into your picture composition that will lead a viewer into the photography image. Anything goes: boulders peaking out of the water, colorful fall foliage on the ground or a branch, part of a picturesque fence, a scenic brook, a beautiful water reflection or simple Driftwood on a Beachare only a few examples that you should look out for next time you are out and about.

Sep 16, 2014

New England and Boston have been blessed with a beautiful summer this year. It was not too hot and temperatures were tolerable for the most of the times and most to my liking. In recent days there is talk that fall has already arrived upon us and I have to admit: it's a bit cool for the time of the year. On the flip side there have been plenty of low and thin clouds that make the heart of New England photographers and nature admires go faster!

After photographing Lightning and Thunder over Boston last week, I went back to the same location. I always call the upper deck of the Museum of Science parking garage one of the best photo locations in town. It has indeed a marvelous view of the popular skyline and it is very convenient. It takes me 15 minutes max to get there from my house and often is my go to location if I am uninspired by anything else. That day I was listening to my weather friends from WBZ Weather Front which were forecasting another evening of low and thin clouds. They even pointed out that Bostonians and New Englanders were in for another amazing sunset treat, a spectacle not to be missed for photographers and nature lovers alike. After my usual routine of setting up tripod and camera I patiently waited for the magic to unfold. The action started after probably waiting for 15-20 minutes on location. I always love when the sky slowly turns from white and greyish clouds to orange to pink and deep red in a few minutes. At the time I had my lens equipped with a split neutral density filter as I anticipated that I had to overcome the strong contrast of the bright sky and the darker foreground of the Charles River and Longfellow Bridge. A small aperture of f/22 at ISO100 provided an exposure time of 2.5 seconds. The solid tripod ensured a stable set up that eliminates some of the many photography variables and getting us closer to consistently creating sharp and high quality Boston skyline pictures.

During post processing I removed dust spots, minimally adjusted lighting, contrast and color saturation before sharpening the final image of Boston Sunset.

Sep 12, 2014

A week ago severe thunderstorms ripped through New England and
Boston from late afternoon into the night. I always wanted to photograph theBoston Skylineat twilight with lightning flashes and saw great potential to
finally capture my vision in a photo. Approximately an hour before nightfall I
made my way over to the Museum of Science parking location. The upper parking
deck is a fabulous skyline photo location at all times and I figured if I pick
the one beneath I would be safe, dry and still get a decent view of the city.
Turned out I was pretty much right. Upon arrival I set up tripod and camera a
few feet away from the building edge so rain would hit my lens. ACanon 28-70zoom lens allowed for some compositional flexibility and all what was left was patiently
waiting for the lightning show to start. It didn’t take long when the sky
turned completely dark and the lightning and thunder rolled in. I immediately started
shooting but it was a bit dicey when the storm unfolded right above me. A
couple of times I crawled back into the car because lightning was followed by
immediate thunder and I was worried I may get hit while pushing my luck a bit
too much.

When the first storm front finally made it's way passed Boston, a second was unfolding at
the horizon, probably across Wellesley, Newton, Natick, Framingham areas. Instead of leaving I therefore stayed around and boy was it worth it! The
second front passed by further south exactly behind the skyline with its famous
landmarks like the John Hancock building, Prudential Center and Boston
brownstones that line the Charles River. With the heavy rain gone and the storm
far away I was in the clear. I moved tripod and camera closer the building edge
for a more unobstructed view, recomposed the picture and kept shooting. In the
meantime twilight arrived which allowed me to capture the image that I
originally envisioned. It was awesome too watch and a few minutes after twilight
I was able to capture a couple more dramatic storm pictures overBoston.

Museum-quality photography prints are created on acid-free papers with archival inks to guarantee that your prints last a lifetime without fading or loss of color. Matte paper is long-lasting and versatile. It's ideal for high contrast and crisp reproductions. Glossy finish shows off your photo art with luxuriant depth and vivid colors.

Beautifully matted and framed fine art photography makes for a great and elegant Interior Design Solution in public areas such as hotel,
sports bar, restaurant, lobbies of all kinds and studio settings. Photo prints are also a traditional decoration choice for doctor, dentist and lawyer offices and truly make for spectacular personal
gifts. With proper care, photography prints will last for years, so you can fully
enjoy and appreciate the artwork for many years to come:

1. Dust your photo print with a clean, soft
cloth to prevent dust buildup. Do not wipe dust spots of with your fingers as
it will be very abrasive and scratchy to the surface of yourPhotography Art.

2. Do not use any cleaning products or water
since the chemicals may permanently damage your photography prints.

3. Avoid blowing on your print because you may
inadvertently leave water droplets and marks on your photography print.

5. Note that ultraviolet light
from many fluorescent lamps may cause damage to your photo prints due to
alteration of the chemical molecule bonds in inks and chemicals used in the
printing process.

6. Do not exhibit your photo print in areas
where dust and pollutants are dominant as those conditions may lead to damage
in form of discoloration, i.e. cigarette smoke, motor exhausts, smog, fresh
paint.

7. Avoid hanging your photo art in places with great fluctuations in
moisture and temperature as it may enhance growth of mold and mildew resulting
in significant damage or total loss of your fine art photography investment.
Do not hang you artwork above heaters or fireplaces.

8. Avoid touching the surface of your art print
with your hand or fingers because the oils in the skin can cause long term
damage.

Sep 7, 2014

On my way home from a Boston Skyline Photography shoot on 06 September 2014 I noticed the Prudential Center being lit up
with the message MR 20! when I crossed over the BU bridge. I was quite puzzled by it but immediately decided to stop and capture it in a photograph. It is a familar location that I often frequent when looking to photograph the full moon across the city or Boston at sunrise. I therefore already knew what to expect and how to compose a pleasing photo of Boston with the message on The Pru. I took my time setting up tripod, camera and picked my Canon 70-200mm lens since it allowed for most framing flexibility. I first zoomed in closer at about 200 mm to achieve a more intimating composition of the Prudential Center and 111 Huntington Avenue buildings. The second image at approximately 70 mm focal length allowed for a more open skyline view that included the John Hancock Tower and Citgo sign. Many people asked if I knew what Mister Twenty stood for but I had no idea. I figured there was a concert going on but turns out the Red Sox were in late innings. When I finally made it home I searched the meaning of the mysterious message and turns out it was in honor of Malcolm
Rogers, a British-born, American curator and current art director of the
Museum of Fine Arts Boston. He is retiring after 20 years. I applaud the folks from The Pru - what a great gesture!

Sep 3, 2014

New England autumn colors are famous throughout the
world. Leaf peepers and photographers alike flog to the Northeast of the United States of America to experience the
marvelous fall foliage glory in Acadia National Park and State Parks of Maine, Rode Island, Connecticut, Massachusetts and
Vermont. New York State to the west and the Great Smokey Mountains further down
east are 2 more fabulous destination for fall foliage leaf peeping and autumn photography. This blog post compiles 11 photo tips for better fall foliage photography results.
The photo hints discuss how to capture mood and color of this spectacular season and bring home beautiful
photography impressions and memories. The pictures and links provide further tutorials that may be of interest ... hope you explore and enjoy!

Photo Tip #1: Plan your New England leaf peeping or
fall foliage photography trip well ahead of time this year. There are many
sites that provide the required information but The Foliage Network
is one of the best and this website provides accurate foliage reports for color
and leaf drop. In my experience "High Color" is the preferred time to find these glorious
New England fall colors.

Photo Tip #2: Get out after a rain storm has
passed to take advantage of beautiful lighting conditions when the sunlight
breaks through and provides spectacular lighting condition. The air is clearest in the morning and after rain storms making for good times to
strive for stunning and scenic autumn landscape photography compositions.

Photo Tip #3:
Do not be fooled and discouraged by an overcast and rainy day weather forecast. Cloudy
days provides beautiful and well balanced light that enhances details in darker areas.
Rain drops on leaves make for excellent macro photography images and wet leaves
turn the leaves on fire. Eliminate overcast sky by using your telephoto lens to achieve a tighter, more Intimate Landscapecomposition that is more beneficial and interesting.

Photo Tip #4:
A Polarizing Filter is a good tool to boost color and balance the contrast in your
photography image. The filter eliminates unwanted glare and
reflections on wet leaves that may distract from the composition. Think of it as sunglasses for your
camera. Overall, these filters increase color saturation, boost blue sky, add
cloud contrast, control reflections and add neutral density to lengthen
exposure times for blurred, impressionistic images.

Photo Tip #5:
Low ISO settings like ISO 100 and below make for higher quality
pictures. Do not use your camera Auto ISO setting since at low light conditions
it will adjust to higher ISO settings that produces more noise. Instead get
into the habit of using your tripod even when sufficient light is available.Photo Tip #6: Look for warm autumn hues and combine them with their complementary colors for
high color contrast imagery; For example golden, yellow or orange foliage
combined with a saturated blue sky. Red maple leaves work well with an
evergreen background, all making for fabulous autumn images.

Photo Tip #7:Find inspiration in waterfalls framed by beautiful foliage colors or get close
with still tree leaves on the ground and on rocks in rushing creeks and brooks.
Overcast and cloudy sky provides excellent conditions for such photo objects.

Photo Tip #8:
Photograph during the morning or afternoon when light is at its best
and leaves are sun-kissed by the beautiful sunlight thereby illuminating the
colors of fall foliage.

Photo Tip #9:
Capture beautiful autumn, razor sharp and Mirror-Like Reflections in ponds and
lakes. Too windy for that ... no problem, create artistic impressionistic
images within the tiny waves or with foliage in motion.

Photo Tip #11:
Do not ditch November and December when leaves are on the ground and make for
beautiful Macro Photography pictures. Visit your local sites to get in close
and extend fall foliage photography season for a couple of months.

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About Me

Juergen
Roth was born and raised near Cologne, Germany. In 1988, he moved to Berlin
West and following the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 he enjoyed exploring the
reunited city and the lost natural environment surrounding it. Since 2001 he has been living in Brookline, Massachusetts
with his wife Helen and daughter Nina.

Juergen has been participated in
many local art events and shows where his photography images achieved numerous
honors. Most recently in 2015, Juergen's iconic Boston skyline photography image Welcome to the Great City of Boston was recognized with the Kusmin Gallery Award for Best in New England at the Fine Art of Photography exhibition at the Plymouth Center for the Arts. In 2014 Serene Cape Cod
was awarded Highly Commended by a panel of world famous judges in the 2014
U.S.A. Landscape Photographer of the Year photography contest. His award
winning photography artwork has been published in books, calendars and
magazines throughout the world.

Juergen finds inspiration in Boston
when not chasing the light at nearby Wildlife Sanctuaries and the beautiful
landscapes and seascapes of New England. He
has always regarded nature as the ultimate inspiration.

"The question is not what you
look at, but what you see." - HENRY D. THOREAU